The Man on The Shuttle

It’s story time.

Did I mention I like to write short stories about my life? Well, I do. Enjoy!

Passengers, please take your seats. We are in the final descent of our flight. We will be landing in Denver, Colorado, within the next several minutes. I breathed a sigh of relief, put my seat in the upright position, and prepared for the landing.

The flight hadn’t been a long one; however, since flying requires being in such close quarters, I was anxious to stand up, stretch my legs, and breathe in some fresh air. I quickly glanced over in the next aisle at my friend Mandy to give her the thumbs up and a big cheesy grin, but she was still in a reclined position with her eyes closed.

It was so cold, we couldn’t stop smiling. You can spot those Floridians anywhere.

Mandy and I usually vacation together once or sometimes twice per year. And this year was no exception. We tossed a few ideas around and finally agreed upon the beautiful town of Estes Park, Colorado. Estes is about 1 ½ hour north of Denver. We decided on this destination because of the laid-back atmosphere, stunning mountainous terrain, and the wildlife that roams around so freely.

As the plane landed, the Pilot gave his final instructions/farewell. As I stood up to stretch and survey the passengers on board, I noticed a strikingly handsome man seated two rows back on my left. Our eyes met briefly, and I immediately sat down and diverted my attention elsewhere.

Mandy and I gathered our belongings and waited to exit the plane. Upon leaving the plane, Mandy’s phone rang, and a rude obtrusive voice stated, “I cannot wait any longer. You have missed your 10:00 a.m. shuttle, and I will not be back until 1:00.” At that point, Mandy and I agreed; we were not going to let anyone/anything ruin our vacation. So we put on our happy faces and struck out to find the baggage claim area.

Since the airport was under major construction and the phone call with the shuttle company had taken longer than anticipated, we lost sight of passengers that traveled on our flight. “Where is baggage claim?” I asked. Mandy looked at me with a blank stare. So, instead of navigating our way through the airport, we followed the crowd.

After several minutes of walking and no sign of baggage claim, we were beginning to wonder if the group knew where they were going. Eventually, following the crowd paid off. It led us to the shuttle that would take us to baggage claim. Several people were waiting to board the shuttle. Low and behold, I found myself standing behind the strikingly handsome guy from the plane.

Shuttle, please take your time. You can shut down for the rest of the day. I was enjoying the view and it was NICE! Tall, handsome, and distinguished are a few descriptive words that came to mind. He was wearing a black leather bomber jacket, Denver Nuggets jersey, blue jeans, and blue/white sneakers. His bronze complexion, silver/black hair, and goat tee added a touch of ruggedness that I liked!

**I wish I had a picture of that mighty fine man. Since I don’t, the buck stops here!** **I know that went over your head! Lol.**

Thirty-five seconds remained until the next train, so I took one last look at this fearfully and wonderfully made creation, and sighed sheepishly. Immediately, the doors of the shuttle opened. And the waiting crowd charged the space; like a fighting Bull intent on trampling the Matador along with his entourage.

It was my time to board, and there was just enough room for me to fit somewhat comfortably in the cabin. However, as I stepped onto the shuttle, the young man behind me decided it was now or never. So, he stepped in front of me as I was getting ready to claim the spot.

As the doors began to close, I frantically made an effort to remove myself from its path. However, the train overflowed with passengers, so my attempt failed.

I saw the door closing in what I considered to be slow motion. I felt the door when it struck my carry-on as well as the side of my leg. At the same time, I became aware of someone firmly gripping my jacket from behind in a way that conveyed, don’t worry, I got you! Someone behind me pulled me safely out of harm’s way as the doors completely shut.

As Snuffy Smith might say, It was cold in them there mountains. Say cheese Mandy!

Mandy looked over at me and asked if I were ok since she had witnessed what happened. I gave her a quick nod of the head as I scrambled to balance myself on the already moving vehicle. As I reached for the strap, I looked over my shoulder, and Mr. Gorgeous himself was the one who had taken hold of my jacket and pulled me safely into the shuttle.

As the train forged ahead down the tracks, my rescuer was trying to use the ceiling in an attempt to steady his 6 feet 5-inch frame. I looked up at him and said, “You can share my strap.” He immediately grabbed hold as the shuttle plowed its way to the next drop-off point.

Within a few minutes, the train came to an abrupt halt, and the passengers started to exit. The voice from my protector behind me said, “This is not your stop; it’s the next one.” (I melted) So, I stayed put!

Finally, the train reached its destination. And as I stepped onto the platform, I touched the shoulder of my rescuer ever so gently and said in my sweetest voice, “Thank you for saving me.”

I was so captivated by his presence that his response was sort of like background music in a restaurant. You hear the song playing, but you can’t decipher the lyrics. I remember saying to myself, while he was speaking, “He would go good with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.”

Once his lips stopped moving, and since I wasn’t for sure about what he’d said, I quickly flashed him my million-dollar smile and gingerly walked beside him. As we reached the escalator, he gave me the signal to go ahead of him, and I did. “Wow, who is this man,” I thought to myself.

Finally, we reached the baggage claim area. And wouldn’t you know my guardian angel’s luggage was the first to arrive? As he reached down and pulled the suitcase from the carousel and set it upright on the floor, I thanked him again for his act of kindness. He smiled and said, “You ladies enjoy the rest of your day. Then, “The Man on the Shuttle” turned and disappeared into the bustling crowd.